Historic ships heading to Newport Harbor

The tall ships Lady Washington, left, and the Hawaiian Chieftain sit docked side by side at the Newport Sea Base in Newport Harbor. The Lady Washington was used in the first "Pirates fo the Caribbean" film as the HMS Interceptor.

The tall ships Lady Washington, left, and the Hawaiian Chieftain sit docked side by side at the Newport Sea Base in Newport Harbor. The Lady Washington was used in the first "Pirates fo the Caribbean" film as the HMS Interceptor. (STEVEN GEORGES, Daily Pilot)

Joseph Serna

Sure, it may seem like a time warp to see a couple of old wooden merchant and naval ships tied up in Newport Harbor this week, but wait until you're aboard.

For the next week the public is invited to tour two late 18th-century vessels that will be docked at the Newport Sea Base, 1931 W. Coast Hwy.

The other, the Hawaiian Chieftain, is a replica of a centuries-old merchant vessel.

Together, the pair are offering Southern Californians one chance a day for an hour to go aboard and meet crew members dressed in period costumes.

On New Year's Eve, visitors will set sail with the crew and head off the coast to reenact an epic naval battle, or "Battle Sail," where the ships will maneuver near and around each other, with the crews hurling taunts and exchanging cannon fire.

"We'll fire real cannons with real gunpowder, but no cannonballs," said Joe Follansbee, communications director for the Aberdeen, Wash.-based Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority, which is putting on the event. "It's a little loud and really safe."

Guests will have a chance to help operate the vessels by steering the tiller and lifting sails.

"Our mission lies particularly in teaching young people about maritime history and the early exploration of the West Coast in California," Follansbee said.